Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

That's right, the person who came was Su Xuanji.

After dealing with the remnants of the Demonic Sect, she and several experts from the Joyful Union Sect were specially assigned by Xia Jin to the Embroidered Uniform Guard to secretly protect Xia Yu, the Emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Aside from Xia Jin, only Qin Hu, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, knew of Su Xuanji and the others' existence.

"Hmm!? Miss Su!" Xia Yu's eyes widened in surprise, then a hint of joy flashed across them.

Although he learned of Su Xuanji's existence from Qin Hu, he also knew that the Hehuan Sect had been taken under Xia Jin's control.

But I really didn't expect Xia Jin to arrange for the leader of the Hehuan Sect to secretly protect me.

"Ninth level of the Grandmaster realm?"

Zhao Yuankui, an elder of the Qingyun Sect who was preparing to teach Xia Yu a lesson, was also somewhat surprised when he saw Su Xuanji suddenly appear, but then he sneered disdainfully.

"Your aura is impressive, but unfortunately... you haven't reached the Grandmaster level. In my eyes, how are you any different from an ordinary person?"

A palm strike landed squarely on Su Xuanji's sword!

Su Xuanji felt an immense force surging through the sword.

A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his lips, and he stumbled back more than ten steps before regaining his balance.

It is already quite remarkable that someone at the ninth level of the Grandmaster realm could withstand a palm strike from a second-level Grandmaster and only suffer a minor injury.

Su Xuanji took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the churning energy within her body.

"Old man! As expected of a Grandmaster, you have some skill! Too bad, your strength is still lacking!" She pointed the tip of her sword at him, her eyes filled with coldness. "If I, the sect leader, had reached the Grandmaster realm, someone like you could be killed with a single sword strike!"

"Hehe, to be able to withstand one of my palms and survive, you're quite impressive, little girl. However, although there's only one realm between the Grandmaster and the Master realm, it's like an insurmountable chasm!" Zhao Yuankui glanced at Su Xuanji before preparing to attack again.

However, at that moment, the young man who had been sitting on the stone bench watching the play suddenly spoke up.

"Elder Zhao, wait a moment."

Zhao Yuankui paused, frowned, and turned to look at the other person: "Young Master Lin?"

The young man's gaze did not fall on Zhao Yuankui, but rather on Su Xuanji, especially on the cinnabar mole on her lips.

A strong sense of interest and possessiveness flashed in his eyes.

"Young lady," the young man slowly stood up, a smile on his face,

"Your skills are truly remarkable; it would be a waste to leave you in this small, third-tier dynasty."

He puffed out his chest, striking a confident pose: "I am Lin Xiao, a direct disciple of the Jade Balance Sect in the Central Region. If you are willing to follow me, your cultivation resources, status, and power will far surpass what this remote place can offer. What do you say? Why not consider it?"

"This bastard dares to solicit Miss Su right in front of me?" A flash of anger appeared in Xia Yu's eyes as he stared intently at Su Xuanji.

The conditions offered by the other party were undeniably tempting. Although Su Xuanji had submitted to her brother, would she waver in the face of such an "opportunity"?

A cold smile appeared on Su Xuanji's face. Even though she was injured, she still carried the arrogance of the leader of the Hehuan Sect.

"What Jade Balance Sect? Never heard of it. This sect leader doesn't care about your conditions. If you want to fight, then fight! Enough with the nonsense!"

Lin Xiao's smile froze instantly, then turned grim. As a direct disciple of the Jade Balance Sect, when had he ever been rejected by another woman like this?

"Good! Very good!" A cold glint flashed in Lin Xiao's eyes, a hint of embarrassment and anger rising within him. "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences. Elder Zhao!"

"Young Master Lin!" Zhao Yuankui responded immediately.

"Take her down!" Lin Xiao's voice carried a hint of ruthlessness. "I want to see if this woman's mouth is still so stubborn after she falls into my hands!"

"Don't worry, Young Master Lin! Watch how I capture this woman!" Zhao Yuankui sneered, his Grandmaster aura locking onto Su Xuanji once again, clearly indicating that he would not hold back this time.

Xia Yu nodded to Qin Hu, who had already stood up again.

It's time to deploy the Garrison Command in Beijing!

Without hesitation, Qin Hu pulled a signal flare from his pocket and pulled the fuse forcefully—

"Whoosh—Bang!"

A blinding red light shot into the sky.

"Miss Su, let's go!"

Almost at the same time the signal rang out, Xia Yu shouted loudly and retreated rapidly towards the side gate of the manor under the close protection of a group of Imperial Guards.

Su Xuanji reacted quickly, sheathing her longsword and leaping backward like a swallow to rejoin Xia Yu and the others.

"Hmph! You think you can just walk away from me?!"

A fierce glint flashed in Zhao Yuankui's eyes. He shook off several elite Imperial Guards who rushed towards him with a single palm strike. Just as he was about to give chase, an ominous premonition suddenly rose in his heart. He looked up abruptly, and his expression changed drastically.

Suddenly, a dense cluster of black dots appeared in the air outside the villa's walls, cascading down with a sharp whooshing sound!

Those were hundreds of arrows wrapped in oilcloth and set ablaze, covering most of the front courtyard of the manor!

"Rocket?!"

Zhao Yuankui frowned, but remained calm. He unleashed his Grandmaster-level protective aura, deflecting the rockets that were aimed at him.

But that wasn't the end of it; another whooshing sound followed.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Suddenly, the thick wall in front of them was pierced by a terrifying force, and hundreds of heavy crossbow bolts, as thick as a child's arm, flew toward Zhao Yuankui's location with overwhelming force!

This is the unique heavy crossbow used by the Garrison Commander to break through city walls, specially prepared to deal with experts!

"Young Master Lin, be careful!"

Zhao Yuankui's expression finally changed, and he shouted angrily, slamming both palms down onto the ground!

"Boom!"

A powerful surge of energy poured into the ground, and the ground within a radius of several feet around him suddenly collapsed, creating a crater more than ten feet deep!

Zhao Yuankui grabbed Lin Xiao, who hadn't reacted yet, and quickly jumped into the pit.

Almost simultaneously, heavy crossbow bolts whistled past, most missing their mark and piercing terrifying holes in the pavilions and towers behind them. A few bolts struck the edge of the pits and embedded themselves deep in the soil and rocks.

A few breaths later, Zhao Yuankui jumped out of the pit, his face somewhat gloomy.

He glanced at the still-shaken Lin Xiao and said in a deep voice, "Young master, please wait here. I will go and kill that Great Xia Emperor!"

"Remember, you must tear him to pieces! I almost lost my life here just now!" Lin Xiao stood up, patted his brocade robes, and said through gritted teeth.

Zhao Yuankui nodded, then ran off in the direction where Xia Yu and the others had retreated.

But as soon as he rushed out of the gates of Jinghong Manor, the scene before him made his pupils shrink—

Outside the villa, three rows of crossbowmen from the Beijing Garrison had been lined up at some point, and the heavy crossbows that had just pierced the city were laid out on the ground!

Further away, hundreds more archers were poised to fire.

"put!"

With Qin Hu's command.

"Buzz—!"

Hundreds of heavy crossbow bolts were fired again, blocking all of Zhao Yuankui's advance routes!

"Damn it, do you really think I'm a fake Grandmaster?!"

Zhao Yuankui laughed in anger, his body surging with energy, which condensed into a spherical shield three feet away from his body!

"Ding ding ding ding—!"

Heavy crossbow bolts, powerful enough to pierce iron armor and destroy walls, struck the protective aura shield and sparks flew everywhere!

Zhao Yuankui roared, and the crossbow bolts snapped and bounced off, scattering all over the ground.

Xia Yu turned around amidst the layers of Jinyiwei guards and witnessed this scene, causing his expression to change.

Even the heavy crossbows of the garrison in Beijing couldn't harm them?

As expected of a Grandmaster!